IT is easy to understand the frustrations and anger felt by the New Mechanics' Institution Preservation Trust over the council's failure to do anything to restore the building.

The story of this important relic of Swindon's railway and social history is now in danger of ending in farce. And many people will agree that it would be better to spend £50,000 on repairs than to invest £70,000 on yet another feasibility study this time into possible refurbishment of Lydiard House, which unlike the Mechanics' is hardly in imminent danger of falling down.

However, perhaps the Preservation Trust should have thought a little harder about issuing threats that could alienate the council.

For one thing, bringing in the Local Government Ombudsman might achieve nothing. For another, if the Mechanics' Institute is to have any chance of surviving for the benefit of Swindon people the Trust will have to work with the council not against it.

However, it is clear that the state of the building is now so bad that yet another winter of neglect could prove fatal. Can the council really want this? If it does it should have the courage to admit it.